


Under The Weather

by Sharcade



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Comfort, Fever, Gen, Headaches & Migraines, Hiding Medical Issues, Nausea, Sick Character, Sickfic, Vomiting, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-08-03 12:15:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16326068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sharcade/pseuds/Sharcade
Summary: Being sick is no excuse to abandon one's position as the most enthusiastic counsellor Camp Campbell has to offer. Max disagrees.





	Under The Weather

"Never thought I'd live to see the day."

David winced slightly as Gwen's voice seemed to rip through his ears; was it already time to get up? Gwen was never awake before him, maybe she happened to wake up early this morning. Of course, that didn't make sense, because there was already sun assaulting his eyes and if Gwen had woken up even earlier than David usually did, it would probably still be dark out.

"Gwen? Is it morning already?" David mumbled, sitting up and rubbing his head gently.

A migraine was drilling through his senses, pulsing painfully as his eyes adjusted to the light. The usual cheer that fuelled him each morning seemed to be absent, his mind only being able to focus on one thing: he felt  _awful._ Not only was his migraine still attacking at full force, but he was overwhelmingly nauseous, almost enough so to send him charging out of the cabin to vomit.

"You slept in, we're half an hour late to breakfast," Gwen sighed, rubbing her eye. "I only woke up because Quartermaster came to check if we were dead."

David would have preferred being dead to this migraine.

"W-Well!" David chimed, forcing a smile as he jumped to his feet. "We should get going then, the last thing we want to do is miss morning activities!"

"David, that is literally the first thing I want to do."

"That's the spirit!" David mused, flashing Gwen a quick grin before making his way out of the cabin.

The second he was outside, David dropped the act, wrapping a free arm around his stomach and resting his palm against his forehead. It was warm, and he prayed that he hadn't come down with a fever. A fever would mean having to stay in bed, and having to stay in bed meant he wouldn't get to participate in any camp activities, not to mention the fact that there were certain campers he would rather not leave without supervision.

David took a deep breath, slicking his hair back from his forehead; why was he sweating so much? He felt cold, despite the fact that his forehead felt burning hot. It had to be a fever, there was no other explanation, unless he was suddenly and inexplicably dying from an unknown disease. Neil would probably be excited to hear about David's mysterious illness, they could make a day out of it! Unknown Disease Camp, that would be something fun for them to do, right?

David shook his head gently; that probably wasn't the best idea.

"David? You still out here!"

"Just enjoying the fresh air!" David shot back quickly, whirling around to face Gwen, the hand over his forehead snapping into a standard Camp Campbell salute.

Gwen eyed him suspiciously, David doing his best to hold himself together while Gwen's gaze picked him apart. He felt almost unsteady on his feet, the counsellor worrying for a moment that he might collapse on the spot. Finally, Gwen gave a shrug, turning and locking up the Cabin as David let out a hot breath of relief. Today was going to be long and tedious.

* * *

"Rise and shine, Camp Man."

"Max!" David beamed, noting the way Max squinted at him in suspicion.

Max was perceptive. Max had always been perceptive. If ever there was a time where David attempted to hide something, Max would always be the first to sniff it out, and that information would always work its way back to his trio. Not much to David's surprise, he would soon find the info had spread through the entire camp, so Max digging up any of his secrets was less than ideal.

David was a camp counsellor, his job was to be a beacon of Camp Cambell spirit and to always give the kids one-hundred percent of his effort. That meant no sick days, no breaks, he was always on the clock. He may be sick today, but that wasn't an excuse to leave the campers all alone with Gwen and Quartermaster. If somebody were to find out he was sick, namely Gwen, it would mean being confined to his cabin until he got better. It would mean wasted time that he could have been using to spread positivity and education in the camp. This had to stay a secret, so Max had to stay quiet.

"Have you had your breakfast yet?" David inquired, peering past Max at the tray of food before him that looked as if it had barely been touched. "You really should eat more."

"This food is shit," Max spat, hopping down from his seat and folding his arms. "Where have you been?"

"It looks like I slept in a little later than usual this morning," David explained, pausing for a moment as dizziness overtook him once again. "But it's alright, I'm wide awake now and ready to start our morning activities!"

Max's suspicious gaze fell on him once again, the camper obviously seeing or hearing something that didn't sit right with him. David was used to seeing a type of fire in Max's eyes, a fire that was surprisingly absent at the moment. It almost seemed like Max was more concerned for David than he was hostile.

"Yeah, okay," Max began unsurely, sitting back down at his table. "Whatever."

"Ooh! You're super  _sweaty_ today David! Did you get bitten by something? Was it a spider?!" Nikki beamed, jumping up in her seat and bearing her teeth. "Let me suck out the poison! I wanna be Peter Parker!"

"Peter Parker was bitten by a  _radioactive_ spider," Neil corrected. "And he didn't get powers by sucking the poison out of somebody else's bite."

"Let me at it anyway! Maybe I'll get different spider powers! Like eight eyes, or pooping spider webs!"

"Well don't worry you two," David assured, offering another fake smile as his stomach lurched threateningly. "I wasn't bitten by anything. It's just a little hot out today, that's all!"

"Neil's always sweaty, and we still hang out with him," Max shrugged, Nikki nodding hurriedly in agreement.

Neil offered a retort, one that David didn't catch as his migraine throbbed with pain. He took in another shaky breath, squeezing his eyes shut and rubbing his head as the trio bickered distractedly. He was going to throw up, he was definitely going to throw up, he needed to leave the mess hall  _now._ Not bothering to stay for the end of the trio's discussion, David briskly walked out of the building, Max's eyes following him curiously as David sped around to the back of the mess hall.

David leaned against the wall, taking a few deep breaths as he tried to steady his stomach. His head was still pounding, the light feeling as if it was cutting into his eyes, his body wracked with chills and heat and  _discomfort_ as he tried to gain some footing over his apparent sickness. He just had to get through the day, then he would get a good night's sleep and be all better in the morning, he just had to make it through a few activities.

"David?"

"M-Max!" David exclaimed, quickly snapping to attention. "How can I help you? Is something wrong?"

"Was gonna ask you the same thing," Max muttered, looking David up and down suspiciously. "The hell's wrong with you?"

"Oh, I'm alright, nothing that a fun day of Camp Campbell fun won't fix!" David lied.

David could feel his nausea getting worse; he willed Max to take his fibbing at face value and just go back to breakfast, he wasn't about to drag Max into this whole ordeal, but he wouldn't have much of a say over it if Max didn't leave soon, _h_ _e was going to throw up._

"Jesus, you're pale as hell," Max pointed out, furrowing his brow. "Are you about to die or some shit?"

"Hold that thought," David interrupted quickly, turning on his heel and bracing himself against the wall.

And then he threw up.

David coughed, panting quietly as his stomach seemed to roll. His head was in so much pain he could barely stay conscious, discomfort and embarrassment flooding him as Max stared on in stunned silence. Shakily, the counsellor wiped his mouth, willing himself not to vomit again despite the nausea still coursing through him. Despite his wishes, his stomach upheaved again, the counsellor's knees almost giving out as he vomited once again onto the ground.

David swayed slightly on his feet, his body threatening to collapse as blurry spots danced across his vision. David felt his side collide with the wall of the cabin, the wooden structure being the only thing still holding him up as he panted softly against his sweaty hand.

"David?" Max mumbled cautiously, taking a step forward. "Do you want me to get Gwen-?"

"I-I'm okay," David insisted, dismissing Max's offer with a wave of his hand. "Don't get Gwen."

"Did you just say you're fucking  _okay?_ "

"J-Just a little under the weather."

"You just fucking vomited half your guts out in the dirt and you're telling me you're  _under_ the  _weather?!_ " Max spat, approaching David. "You're sick as hell!"

"I'm still well enough to make sure you all have fun at-"

"Cut the shit, David," Max muttered, yanking David down to his level by the counsellor's bandana. "Go to bed."

"But you kids need supervision and educational engagement," David argued weakly. "I can't just-"

"Can't just what, leave us with Gwen?" Max scoffed. "What, Gwen can't do her job for a few fucking days?"

"A few days seems like a long time," David chuckled unsurely. "I'll be better by tomorrow, just you wait!"

"No, no way in hell, you're on bed rest," Max demanded, looking over David's flushed face skeptically. "Jesus, you look awful."

David stared back at Max quizzically; why was Max so adamant about getting him back to bed? David's first assumption was that Max wanted him out of the way so he could get up to whatever mischief of the day he had planned, but Max was usually more manipulative if he was trying to remove David from the daily picture. He would bat his childishly long eyelashes, offer an uncharacteristically big smile, dish out some fake positivity and have David in the palm of his hand. This was different. Max was being authentic.

"Seriously, are you gonna die?" Max pressured

Sometimes, David would forget that Max was a child. It was easy to forget: Max was mature beyond his years, Max was knowledgeable beyond his years, and Max swore beyond his years. However, it was moments like this, moments where Max was staring at him with uncertain eyes and trying to mask his own worry, that David remembered the fact that Max was only ten. Max _actually thought_ he could be dying.

"No no no, I'm okay!" David assured quickly, offering a small - and hopefully reassuring - smile. "I-It's just a fever, Max. I'm okay."

"Damn," Max remarked, releasing David's bandana after feeling satisfied with his examination. "I was hoping you'd finally die."

David could see the relief in Max's eyes.

"Just get to bed, okay?" Max snapped, glaring up at David. "I'll keep this place running, go rest."

"You won't burn the camp down while I'm gone?"

"I won't."

"You won't do anything illegal?"

" _I won't._ "

"You won't try to start a mutiny and run away?"

"Jesus fucking Christ David just go to bed!" Max ordered, turning away quickly and starting back towards the front of the mess hall.

"Max?"

The camper halted, glancing over his shoulder at David. David gave him a weak smile, standing up straight and wiping his forehead tiredly.

"Thank you."

"Whatever, shut up."

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was a request from my Tumblr! Feel free to stop by and leave a request of your own!
> 
> https://sharcade-involved.tumblr.com/


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